Chair.



No- 844,881. PATENTBD FEB. 19, 1907.

" J. S. LESTER.

CHAIR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.28.1905.

13% Mme/aw atl'ozuu tn: NORLIS PETSkS (0., WASHINGTON, 0. c.

.No. 844,881. PATENTED FEB. 19, 1907.

Ls. LESTER.

CHAIR.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV.28.1905.

2 SHEET8-SHEBT 2.

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UNITED STATES JPATEN T OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 19, 1907.

Application filed November 28, 1905. Serial No. 289.515.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES S. LESTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented a new and. useful Chair, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention while relating particularly to chairs has certain features clearly and advantageously applicable to stools and tables.

One of the principal objects is to provide a novel and simple structure that is very strong and durable, can be cheaply manufactured, and is adapted for public and private as well as indoor and outdoor use.

A further object is to provide a novel artiticle of furniture the skeleton frame of which can be made of a single continuous rod or wire, the formation thereof being such that said rod or wire can be conveniently bent to the desired shape.

A still further-object is to provide a back that is of a novel nature and is provided with arm-receiving seats, particularly convenient for a person sitting sidewise in the chair.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the preferred form of construction. Fig. 2 is a sectional horizontal view through the legs. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the seat. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is aperspective view of the skeleton frame of the chair, showing the single-piece formation thereof. Fig. 6 is a detailperspective view of the connection between the transverse legbraces. Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view showing a slightly-modified means of fastening the leg-braces and rim-frame to the rim. Fig. 8 is a sectional view of another embodiment of the invention, illustrating a metallic seat and the manner of fastening the same to the frame.

Similar reference-numerals designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In the embodiment illustrated the entire frame is formed from a single rod or wire, and it is believed that the formation thereof can be clearly described by following said rod or wire from its terminals, reference being had particularly to Fig. 5. Beginning with the eyes 9 a rim-frame is employed comprising sections 10, that are in the form of part rings having portions 11 overlapped. Continued from these overlapped portions are sets of legs 12. Downturned leg-standards 13, extending from the overlapped ends, have outturned loop portions 14 at their lower ends, forming feet. These loops are twisted together, as shown at 15, and from the twist the rod or wire extends upwardly at an inclination, forming braces 16, the upper ends of which are oil'set, as shown at 17, and lie alongside the rim-frame sections 10. Thence the rod or wire is again bent downwardly, forming other braces 18, that are looped and outturned, as shown at 19, to provide feet. These loops are twisted, as shown at 20, and from the twist other leg-standards 21 extend upwardly and pass through eyes formed by the terminals 9 of the rod or wire. The structure as thus far described constitutes the body-frame, and it will be observed that the same is constructed of one continuous piece of rod or wire. Each of the opposite sets of legs has a single brace member between them formed from the braces 16 and 18 and the intermediate portion 17, that lies alongside the rim-frame.

The leg-standards 21 are continued through the eyes 9 to form outer longitudinal bars 22 for the back, which back comprises sections 23. These bars 22 are provided with inwardly-extending intermediate loops 24 and at their upper ends are bent inwardly, as shown at 25, and form the top bars of the back. The top bars at their inner ends are continued downwardly, forming inner side bars. 26, that are located alongside each other, the lower ends of said bars being in the form of a large loop 27, extending com pletely across the back, passing through the eyes 9, and forming a cross-bar 28, that completes the rim-frame. The top bars 25 of the back-sections 23 are provided on opposite sides of the inner bars 26 with depending open-t0pped stirrup portions 2 9, forming armreceiving seats. The cross-bar 28 is the central portion of the wire, as will be apparent, and in the construction of the frame the first bend is made therefrom, the formation being then carried out through the other parts until the eyes 9 are reached, which are bent about the upwardly-extending portions 21 22 and the loop 27.

In order to fasten the back-sections 23 together, a keeper-sleeve 30 is laced around the inner side bars 26 and con'lmes the same, thereby completing the back. The legs 12 are also braced by means of continuous intersecting cross-braces 31, the outer ends of which are bent, as shown at 82, aroundthe The seat in the embodiment shown in Figs.

1,3, and 4 consists of a rim 37, that is located upon the rim-frame and is secured thereto by cli'ps38. As will be seen by reference to Fig. 4, one of these clips embraces the overlapped portions 11 of the rim-frame, others embrace the intermediate portions 17 of the brace members, and the portions 10 of the rimframe, and still another extends about the intermediate portion of the cros s-bar.28. On

the rim 37 ismounted in any suitablemannerthe seat 39. Instead of theclips 38;

(shown in Figs. 3 and 1) ordinary staples 40 may be employed. The structure as thus far described is particularly useful for indoor use, and for outdoor employment or in pubhe places, where the article is liableto hard wear and rough usage, a metallic seat may be be employed, as shown in Fig. 8. The frame isexactly the same, but the seat 41 is of sheet metal and suitably. perforated, the

marginal portions of said sheetmetal seat being bent downwardly around the rimframe and, associated parts, as shown at 42.

It will be observed that inasmuch as the frame is constructed of a single rod or wire rivets, bolts, and like fasteners are dispensed with. Moreover, the formation is such that the bends can be readily made. Any desirable form of seat can be readily attached to the frame, and the meansfor so attaching saidseat serves to secure the parts of the frame rigidly together. The back structure 1n the form disclosed is an important feature. The loops 24 constitute yielding abutments or cushions, and these loops are so arranged that rearward pressure against the upper end of the back serves to close said loops tighter and not open them, thus avoiding any danger of the clothing becoming caught therein.

The stirrups 29 are advantageous, for a person sitting sidewise in the seat can place his arm therein, and thus a convenient arm-restis provided. The particular arrangement of the braces 16 and 18 and the leg-standards 13 and 21 is important. When the chair is resting on all four legs, thestandards 13 and 21 support the weight; but if said chair is tipped backwardly on the hind legs it will be apparent that the braces 18 become the sup ports, while the standards 21 then serve as braces.

' From the foregoing it is thought that the construction,operation, and many advanlegs therefor, and a back, all formed.;from

a single, continuous rod or wire.

2. In an article of furniture of the class de: scribed, a continuousrim-frame, spaced legstandards having their upper ends connected to spaced portions of the rim-frame, a brace member connected to the leg-standards-and having an intermediate portion connected to the rim-frame, and a seat mounted on the. rim-frame. V

3. In an articleof furniture of theclass de:

scribed, a continuous rim-frame,-;spaced-leg-." o

standards having their upper-ends associated with the rim-frame, a brace member constituting a continuation ,of theleg-standards and. having an intermediate portion located alongside, the rimrframe between said leg-stande ards, clip means embracing saidintermediate. portion and the rim-frame, andaseat mounted on the rim-frame. V

4.. In an article of furniture of the class de scribed, a continuous rim-frame, .spaced legs formed from a single rod or wire, said legs comprising a brace member having an intermediate portion associated with the rim-frame, divergent terminal portions, upright -legstandards constituting an integral continue ation of, the said terminal .portions and hav ing their upper ends associated with the. rimframe, means, for securing the. intermediate portion of the brace member and the leg: standards to therim-frame and aseat mounted on the rim-frame and extending. over the upper portions of the leg standards and brace 1 member.

5. In an article of furniture of the class described, a rim-frame comprising sections having overlapped portions, and aleg connected to the overlapped end of each section and hav. ing an upwardly-inclined brace portion extending from the lower portion of the-leg and having its upper end .abutted against the other rim-section.

6. In an article of furniture of theclass described, a rim frame comprising; sections. having overlapped portions and formedfrom a rod or wire, and separate sets of legs consti-.

I25 tuting, respectively, integral continuations...

of each overlapped portion, said sets comprisingspaced standards having upper ends associated with the other rim-section,.andc a brace member connecting the standards 1 and having an intermediate portion also associated with said other section.

7. In an article of furniture of the class described, a rim-frame comprising part-ring sections havingportions overlapped, d ownturned leg-standards continued from the ends of the overlapped portions, upwardly extending braces constituting continuations of said legstandards and having their upper ends associated with the rim-frame, downwardlyeXtending braces forming continuations of said first-mentioned braces, upwardly-extending standards forming continuations of said latter downwardly extending braces and having their upper ends associated with the rim-frame, and means for clipping the rim-frame sections and associated parts of the standards and braces together.

8. In an article of furniture of the class described, the combination with a chair-body, of a back carried thereby and comprising in dependent sections separately connected to the rear portion of the chair-body and having outer side bars and inner side bars, said inner side bars having portions located alongside each other, an 1 having their lower ends extending outwardly to the outer side bars, and asleeve surrounding and confming the portions of the inner side bars that are located alongside each other.

9. In an article of furniture of the class describefl, the combination with a chair-body, of a back carried thereby and compixsing skeleton sections having inner and outer bars, the outer bars being provided between their ends with inwar;.lyextending loops, the inner bars being disposed alongside each other, and a sleeve surrounding and confining said inner bars.

10. I11 an article of furniture of the class described, the combination with a chairbody, of a back carried thereby and comprising sections having inner upright bars secured together, and outwardly-extending top bars provided with depending open-topped stirrup portions forming arm-receiving seats.

11. In an article of furniture of the class described, the combination with rim-frame sections having overlapped front portions, of depending sets of legs carried respectively by the overlapped portions and comprising continuous standards and braces forming continuations of said rim-frame sections, a back comprising skeleton sections and forming continuations of the sets of legs and extending above the rim-frame, and means for r securing the backsections together, said l back-sections having depending arm-receiv- 1 ing stirru' rts in their upper ends.

, 12. In an article of furniture of the class describen, the combination with a rim-frame,

I of legs depending therefrom and having portions associated therewith, a rim located on t the 1i111-flil1116, and clip members securing I the said portions of the legs, the rim-frame and the rim together.

l 13. In an article of furniture of the class I described, the combination with a rim-frame,

l of sets of legs depending therefrom and comprising standarcs having their upper ends associated with the frame, and braces connecting the standards of each set and having intermediate portions located alongside therim-frame, a rim located 011 the rim-frame, and clips secured to the rim and embracing the rim-frame and said portions of the braces.

14. In an article of furniture of the class described, a body including supporting-legs, intersecting braces connecting the opposite legs, and bowed intersectingmembers mounted on the braces and extending over the points of intersection thereof.

15. In an article of furniture of the class described, a body including supporting-legs, intersecting continuous braces connecting the opposite legs and having interlocked eyes I at their :oinfs of intersection, and bowed intersecting members having their terminals secured to the braces on opposite sides of the interlocked eyes, said members extending over the braces and having interlocked eyes at their point of intersection.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto atlixed my si nature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES S. LESTER.

\Vitnesses:

E. G. Srecnns, l JOHN H. SIGGERS. 

